Traffic-signal tower



S. C. REPSHOLDT.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL T OWER.

APPucATloN FILED 1uLY15.1919.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

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FIG. 2.

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Sme/wm llelw/ald S. C. REPSHOLDT. mmc SIGNAL TowER.

APPLICATION FlLED JULY 15.1919.

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S. C. HEPSHOLDT.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL TOWER.

APPLICATION man 1uLY15,|9|9.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

4 SHEETS--SHEET 3.

s. c. REPsHoLDT. TRAFFIC SIGNAL TOWER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15,1919.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

FIG. 1 7.

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STOPA 21j@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

soBENcHRIsriAN REPSHOLDT, or OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

Y TRAFFIC-SIGNAL TOVJER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented N0V 30 19,20

Application med JulyV i5, 191s. serial No. 311,111.

To @ZZ whom it may conce/'71,

it known that l, Sernin Cinner-IAN ltiirsiioiin'r, a citizen ot' the United States of America, residing at Omaha. in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska have invented certain new and useful lmpiovements in Traino-Signal Towers, of which the following is a speciiicationrllhis invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in traiiio signal towers.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a signal tower especially adapted for street lcrossings provided with traliic signals readily operable by the crossing Voiiicer, provision being made tor the display of ordersat opposite sides of the tower viewable in the directions of the oncoming traiic.

A further object of the device is the provision of an elevated tower at street intersections for the accommodation or' the traiiic or crossing otlicer stationed ther-eat, an eiiicient means being arranged whereby the olicer may gain exit and entrance to lthe tower while the latter is provided with telephonic communication with distant-ly positioned similar towers at other street corners.

.i still further object of the invention is the provision of'a plurality of suitably arranged crossing signals having illuminating devices, opposite ones or" the signals being readily shiftable simultaneously by the officer in charge in accordance with the trat'- tic regulations, readily discernible audible alarms lacing automatically sounded for denoting which or" the two through. courses at the street intersections is open for trahie.

In the drawings forming part of this application and in which like reference charY acters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure l is a perspective View of the invention illustrating the same in use at al streetV crossing and also showing diagrammatically an operating station located ata distance from the tower,

Fig.` 2 is an enlarged Vvertical transverse sectional view thereof,

Fig. 3 is ahorizontal transverse sectional view takenvsubstantially upon line III-III of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to 3 with two of the Vsignal arms elevated,

. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View taken` substantially upon line V-V ot' F 1g.` 2,

` Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken uppn line VI-VI of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the signal drum employed in the invention,

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view of the upper portion of the device taken upon a plane perpendicular to the line of section of ig. 2 and showing the alarm mechanism,

Figs. 9 and 10 are perspective views of portions of the alarm mechanism,

Fig. 11 is a detail view showing a differentmanner of displaying color signals,

F ig. 12 is a view of a modification of the `device broken away and partly in vertical section,

Fig. 13 is a horizontals'ectional view of the device shown in Fig. 12 partly broken away,

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary enlarged detail v iew illustrating the means for retaining the signal arms in inoperative position.

Fig. 15 is a horizontal sectional view or' the ldevice shown in Fig. 14, i

Fig. 16 is a View in perspective, partly broken away, and illustrating details of the device shown in Fig. 12,

Fig. 17 is a view similar to Fig. 12 viewing the device at right angles to said Fig.

'12, and

F ig, 18 is a horizontal sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 17.

My invention broadly consists of a tower -lO, octagonal in horizontal cross section.

mounted upon the top of a tubular column or post 11 vertically positioned at a street crossing, which may be provided as herein illustrated with separate carrlines l12 and 13 crossingeach other perpendicularly. The tracks 12 are represented in Fig. 1 of the drawings as the north and south tracks while the tracks 13 represent the east and west tracks, it being understood that the traffic upon said tracks as well as the streets upon which they are positioned travels forwardly upon the right hand side-of the street in the customary manner and my invention is defined for signaling both visually and audibly in the night as well as the daytime for notifying the approach of vehicles upon both of the intersecting streets as to Vwhich crossing is clear and which one is closed at the time of giving the signal.

The-towerl() has a floor 14 for supporting an occupant located above the .bottom 15 of the tower, providing a chamber 16 between said floor and bottom. The inclosed portion 1'? of the tower is connected to the roofor dome 1S by i'our posts 19 providing window openings 2O between the posts. Signaling semaphore arms 21 are swingingly mounted through vertical slots 22 in the post 2O hinged toinwardly projecting brackets or bearings 23 carried bythe posts. The arms 21 are normally depressed substantially inclosed within the tower 10 engaging straps or stop members '2linwardly of the tower,

said arms `having -a snitable word such as Stop as `at` 25 "provided uponlitsopposlte sides.

A hollowlshatt 26 is journale'd through'the column 211 and-iloor lhbeing `provided with an 'operating han'dle 27 within the tower 10 for turningthe shaft. The tratlic ornpolice otlicer wi-thinthe'tower 10 may readily operate the opposite pairsE "2* 'rms-21 by means oi the handle 27thronohfthe agency of a cam.dislr28earried by t'h'efsha'ft'26 and having "oppositely positioned double' cam or flange portions 29 operatively engagringthe upper end roi*thelarrns 21.

vThe cams 29 are fpositi'onedl between vadjacentarms 21 andout of contact therewith when the :device is 'at rest with all Tot the armsh21 in theirlsubstantially vertical and inoperative positions. The cams29 are bent inwardly:asV indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings and upon turning the disk 28, engage the outer edges-'ot the upper end portions oi' the arms 21'as=at 30, swinging the arms outwardly, while the cams 29, being also curved dolvmvard'ly, further `exert :frdownywardl pressureaipon the arm 'portions 30 pair oi opposite `arms -21 for presenting Vsig'- nals to the other street of the -intersectionfor crossing. ln some cities, where-streets are extremely narrow and congested, itis-desirable' to operate the signa-l `armsfromthe sidewalk, and in order to place this invention in` use 4atsuch peints, it is only necessary to provide an underground operative connection 31 between the shaft 26 and the handle 32 secured Vupon the verticalshai't 35 suitably mounted within the inclosure 5l-fl sitaiate'L upon the sidewalk 35i. As such connections are extremely Vcommon in railway signals and thefparticular terms of these connections do not form a part of the present invention, the same have merely been indicated in a diagrammatic manner.

A door 31 in the column 1l permits the `attachment of a removable handle 32 to the shaft 26 so that an oiiicer stationed upon the roadway beneath the tower 10 may readily operate the signal arms 21 in the mannen heretofore noted. i telephone 33 is positioned within the tower 10 for the use et the otiicer in charge oi the signal for communicating with a distant point such as another signal tower tor ',Yg'iving` notice to intercept a vehicle exceeding the speed limit, line wires oet being' provided for the telephone and passing vthrough the sl att 26. re-

. chamber 16 and clamped for turning with the shatt- 26 by means of inwardly projecting` radial ar'ns 39 as best indicated in Fig. G of the drawings. Casters '10 upon the bottom of the drum 38 are mounted for traveling' upon the bottom 15 of the tower. Alternate red and green panels Ll-l and a2, eight in number, are provided in the drum 38, so arranged that whenegf'er a pair of arms 2l. is elevated, two ot the green panels l2 will be visible therebenea th through the windows 43 provided in the tower sides 1'? at points beneath each 'of theslots 22. `When the fr-ir of stop arms 21 is operatively positioned, red panels 4-1 will be visible through the windows 43 'beneath the depressed arms 2l and the word lStop beine` provided upon the red panels, the vehicles approaching the ytower 10 in opposite directions upon one of. the intersecting; streets such the east and west illustrated in 1, will be met by the wires 37 and controlled by a suitable switch,

unnecessary to herein illustrate.

An alarm bell l5 is'mounted within the dome 18 upon an arch 4:6 adapted tor striking` a single impulse when the east and west line ot traiiic is open for trailic and striking two impulses when the signal ischanged tor openingl the north and south beunddtraiiic.

iee-

its closed position.

An arm 48 uponthe upper end of the shaft 26for turning therewithhas an-upstanding lug 49 adapted to hit a pivoted trip 50 upon the arch 46 upon turning the arm 48 in either direction, thereby elevating the clap- Vper 47 against the bell 45 for ringing the latter. A pivoted lug 51 upon the arm 48 adjacent the lug 49 is also engaged by the east and west line is open for traflic. In this manner, the operation of the signal arms 21 by any one of the handles 27, 32, or 32 automatically sounds the alarm bell 45 to audibly indicate which course of travel is open as well as to simultaneously present a visual indication of the traliic conditions at four sides of the tower through the windows 43. A protecting plate 52 is preferably provided overlying the bell 45 and the circular central opening 53 in the top of the dome 1 8.

The trap Vdoor 54 in the tower bottom 15 is connected by a link 55 witha Asimilar door 56 in the floor 14 whereby said trap doors are connected for simultaneous operation. A ladder 57 is hinged to the bottom 15 as at 58 by the upper angular extension 59 of the latter while a cord 60 connects the' ladder 57 with thedoor 54 and passes over a pulley 61 in the chamber 16. When the doors 54 and 56 are closed and the oiiicer desires to enter the tower 10, hc mounts the ladder 57 which pulls downwardly upon the cord 61 and opens the doors 54 and 56. After passing upwardly into the tower, the closing of the upper door'56 swings the lower door 54 to In leaving the tower, the upper door 56 is opened by means of its handle 62 which opens the lower door 54 and the oicer descends to the street by means of the ladder 57. By pulling upon a cord 63 attached to the door 54, both of the doors 54 and 56 are closed. A lire bell -or gong 64 may be provided upon the tower bottom 15 l if desired, and it will be seen that a serviceable traiiic adjunct is provided whereby accidental collisions may be avoided at street intersections, audible signals as well as signs visible by day and by night, being positive in their operation under the manipulation of the `oiiicer in charge, either within the tower 10 or outside of the same.

In Fig. 11, I have illustrated a swinging signal arm 21 carried by the casing 65 with an annular screen 66 connected thereto by links 67 for vertical movement. Electric Vlamp 68 within the casing 65 is in a position to throw light upon a red panelV 69 in the screen 66 when the arm 21 is elevated as a ,stopV signal but throws light upon a green panel 7 O of the screen when the arm 21 is lowered and the screen is in its normal elevated position.

Referring to Figs. 12 to 18, inclusive, wherein a further modification of the invention is shown, the signal arms 21 are pivotally mounted as at 23 within the tower 10V so as to swing upwardly within the latter through the slots 22 to an inoperative position. In order to elevate the signal arms, the latter are pulled upwardly by the rods' 71 which are pivotally attached as at 72 at their lower endsv to the signal arms and are guided for vertical movement by the brackets 73 fastened inside of the tower 10 adjacent the top thereof. The upper ends of the rods 71 are directed inwardly as at 74 and provided with a suitable anti-friction roller 75 bearing upon the upper face of the cam disk` 76 which is rigidly fastened to and turns with the operating shaft -26 adapted to be turned by means of the handle 27 or the like. `It will be obvious that when the disk 76 is turned so as to cause its cams 77 to ride under the opposite friction rollers 75, the

Vrods 71 will be pulled upwardly and thereby rods 71 are bifurcated to provide a pair of legs 80 between which the signal arms are positioned when in their inoperative positions, and springs 81 are also provided to hold the bars 7l inwardly with the pins 78 disposed in the apertures thereof. In this form of the invention, the screens 66 are directly pivotally attached to the stop arms 2l and the red panel 69 is disposed in the lower portion of each screen instead of in the upper portion thereof as in the form of Fig. 11 so that the stop signal will be properly displayed with respect to the signal arms at opposite sides of the tower.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction and operation of the various forms of the invention herein shown and described will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

While thepreferable embodiments of my invention are herein set forth, it will nevertheless be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

'tower when substantially vertically disposed,

and means including a cam disk simultaneously operable for causing' the signals to assume positions wherein opposite ones of the same are in voutwardly swung operative position and the remainder are in inwardly swung unexposed position.

2', ii traflic signal including atower adapted to he mounted at the intersection of a pair of streets, four equally spaced signal armspivoted to the tower so as to swing radially outwardly therefrom and having the word Stop upon theopposite faces thereof, said tower being provided with slots whereby said signal arms may Vswing therethrough to an unexposed position within the tower when substantially vertically disposed, means including a cam disk 'simultaneously operable for causing the signals to assume positions wherein opposite ones of the same are in outwardly swung operative position and the remainder are in inwardly swung unexp'osed position, lamps within the tower, transparent signs within the tower including panels with the words Cross and Stop thereon and arranged so that the light from said lamps may pass therethrough, and means to simultaneously incense Aitraflic signal forintersecting roadways comprising a tower, indicating elements at the sides of the tower pivoted to he swung outwardly for facing the roadways, operating means for selectively engaging opposite pairs of the indicating elements, and actuating means for the operating means positioned within the tower, said tower having side openings beneath-the indicating elements, and an indicating drum upon the actuating means adapted for presenting stop signals at the side openings positioned heneaththe inoperative pair of indicating elements.

a. A traffic signal for intersecting roadways comprising a support, indicating elements at the sides of the support adapted to he swung outwardly `to exposed position, an actuating shaft within the tower, an operat ing cam disk upon the shaft having two double cam portions arranged to selectively outwardly swing the indicating elements upon turning of said shaft, an indicating drum carried hy ythe shaft and having' Stop7 and Cross7 signal panels for visual `display at opposite sides `-of the tower respectively adjacent the inoperative and operative indicatingelements.

5. A traiiic signal for intersecting road ways comprising an elevated casing or tower, signal arms pivoted to the sides of the tower for swinging movement outwardly therefrom to exposed position, a shaftaxially journaled through the tower, means within the tower for turning saidshaft from vwithin the tower, removable means outside of the tower and adjacent the ground, for turning said shaft and a disk upon the shaft adjacent the top of the tower having double cams operatively associated with the arms for selectively outwardly swinging the separate pairs of oppositeyarms -atwill.

in testimony whereof I affix mysignature,

SOREN Clll'tlSTlAN REPSi-IDLDT. 

